Lou's Top 20 of 2012, Part 1

Vancouver’s Ladyhawk have been one of the most criminally unrecognized bands of recent years, and continue their penchant for gritty, largely bare bones indie rock on their third full-length. Heavily laced with pop hooks as always, some subtle new wave hints are the only slight adjustment to their winning formula.

Despite a revolving door rhythm section, Pittsburgh’s own indie-roots darlings the Harlan Twins have come into their own this year. Principals James Hart and Carrie Battle are constantly becoming more confident and engaging vocalists, Hart’s leads more eye-popping, and a more muscular and infectious sound has replaced the few unfocused or meandering moments that dotted their sets in the past. Their second lp ably memorializes this coming of age for the band and their well-hewn trove of songs that range from aching to danceable.

Jesse Remnant plays bass and sings beautiful harmonies in the great Southeast Engine, which is fronted by his brother, Adam. The second outing from his solo project leans heavily toward perfect pop tunes and hooky indie pop recalling Guided By Voices rather than the rootsiness of that outfit, however, and proves him a talented songwriter and engaging lead vocalist in his own right.

Including these three albums separately would have meant devoting quite a bit of space to Green Day here (not that they are undeserving of it), and I assume they are meant to be somewhat of a piece. I’ve never really gotten off the Green Day bandwagon, although one “punk opera” really would have been enough. But these three platters chock full of the 2-minute pop numbers they do best is the best possible antidote to that brief overindulgence. Each record has a bit of its own feel: “Uno!” is heavy on the hook-filled pop-punk that made the band famous, “Dos!” incorporates some garagey elements recalling the band’s 2008 Foxboro Hot Tubs masquerade, and “Tre!” leans more toward power pop and new wave elements which show Billie Joe’s songwriting evolving to great effect even as he confronts his personal challenges. All three of these releases offer great encouragement that Green Day is beginning a third decade of exciting and meaningful music.

On her second solo release, Irwin stays firmly within the achingly authentic roots vein mined so well by Freakwater, the brilliant combo she has co-led since 1989. Will Oldham adds perfectly suited Appalachian-tinged backing vocals to leadoff track “Mockingbird.”

Dubliners Hal finally resurface with their sophomore effort after an interminable layoff since their brilliant 2005 debut. It’s easy to wonder whether they did much other than listen to the Bee Gees during their break given the strong nods to both early- and Disco-era Gibb creations here. And when they shift gears a bit with “Rocking Chair” it nearly evokes a chuckle for its (admittedly delightful) Neil Young mimicry. I’m a staunch proponent of derivation when its sources are as good as those here, but this release lags the debut in terms of freshness and originality.

After a few somewhat tentative steps toward cementing itself as a band focused on the songs rather than its penchant for genre bending, Calexico—and specifically singer-songwriter Joey Burns—take a significant step forward here not necessarily toward conventionality but certainly toward a new indie-folk comfort zone which may not be as unique as some of their past work, but no less engaging or accomplished.

In his unexpected autobiography also released this year, Waging Heavy Peace,
Neil makes much of the fact that this nearly simultaneous recorded and released album is the first he has written without the aid of marijuana, and conveys his deep concern over whether he could create music sober. This experiment turns out to be a success, with somewhat more plainly stated lyrics perhaps the only giveaway, though the envelopment of nearly every track in sprawling jams ironically gives it a decidedly stoned feel overall. Indeed, the 87-minute double disc contains several of the longest songs of the man’s career, and takes the ballsy move of leading off with the 27-and-a half-minute “Driftin’ Back.” This doesn’t prevent a number of them from being among the most expressive and engaging of Young’s recent work, like the alternately gritty and yearning middle-agers lament “Ramada Inn,” or “Walk Like A Giant,” which suggests the image of a ancient mountain continuing to tower over the landscape despite the long torture of the elements over time, as autobiographical as sketch of Neil Young as any.

Longtime Pittsburgh rock stalwart Ed Masley’s Breakup Society seems to finally have shifted his musical base completely to Phoenix, his home of a half decade or so. Still, Pittsburgh’s Get Hip imprint gives us a third Breakups release which highlights Masley’s songcraft with a bit more nuanced and subdued instrumental palate, while expertly working in just the right amount Who-like raucousness throughout and a throwback garage riff on “Here Comes Floyd.”